Fail
by OneDeadlySin
Summary: Sakura and gang are in college. Its her second year and she's living at an apt. with 16 companions. On the first day of the new fall semester she runs into a mysterious red eyed man who... slams a door in her face... Saku/Itachi


_"__I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth.__" -Janeane Garofalo_

**Authors Note: I just noticed I didn't have one.. I blame Sally (DarkAngelB) because she rushed me to post the chapter up.**

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The poptart popped out of the toaster. I grabbed it and smeared butter on top. Throwing it into my mouth I snatched my backpack off the floor and raced out the front door of my apartment. I ate the poptart in a few quick gulps then dug through the small pocket of my backpack to grab my phone. 7:25. I could make it.

I ran to the bus stop as best I could in flip flops before sneaking another look at my phone. 7:35. Damn, I hated days like this. The bus came at 7:40. I clamored in and sighed in relief. I could make it to class. The bodies shuffled in and the doors shut, the bus rocked and we set off for campus.

Ten minutes and we arrived in the middle of campus. Students scuttled by as they raced off to their eight o'clock class. I ran off the bus and headed towards the hall where my class was at.

"Hey Sakura!" a voice called behind me. I did not have time for this.

I- still running- glanced over to see who was trying to talk to me. "Hey Naruto," I said as I continued to run away from him.

He ran faster and caught up to me. "We have the same class," he said with a smile.

"Huh?" My steps faulted a bit. I frowned, "I didn't tell you my schedule."

"Oh I know," he said smiling, "Ino did."

I glared off. Stupid roommate, I'd make her pay. "Why are _you_ running late?" I inquired curiously, "You left early."

"Well... yeah," he replied sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "But I feel asleep over at the Union and Sasuke didn't wake me when he left for class," he glowered.

I smiled and laughed, "Sounds like him."

"Its not funny," Naruto whined.

We were nearing the hall. "How is he?" I asked oh-too-innocently.

Naruto glowered at my question, "He's the same."

I mentally sighed. Naruto had liked me for a very long time. I knew this but I... I had liked Sasuke for longer than Naruto had liked me. It made things awkward especially since Sasuke was Naruto's best friend. That and we all hung out. We were all part of the same circle.

We had all lived in the same dorm our first year of college. Ino and I had been roomies. Gaara and Lee. Sasuke and Naruto. Hinata and Tenten. Neji and Shikamaru. They had become family over the year as we constantly were out of our rooms and hanging out in the lounge instead. Birthdays we had gone out and celebrated. We had gone to parties together, movies, and a variety of other activities.

I had found an amazing deal for an apartment off campus in a gated community and when I shared it with my fellow floor-mates they had decided to move there as well. We had looked at floor plans and what not before deciding on the manor style. It was three house-like apartments connected through a courtyard (the apartments were in a U shape around it). Each apartment had four master bedrooms (with the exception of one which housed five), a kitchen, dining room, living room, and a half bathroom.

In one apartment lived Ino, Hinata, Tenten, and I. In another was Gaara, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Neji, and Naruto. And the third housed Lee, Choji, Kiba, and Shino. Choji and Shino had been roommates in a floor above ours. They had made friends with Hinata somehow. Not sure how _that _had happened being as she was painfully shy, they may have shared a class or something like that. Kiba.. how did Kiba fit into our group? Anyway Shikamaru had heard through both Neji and Ino and had decided to move in. Garra had told his brother and sister, Kankura and Temari, and they had decided to move in. They were in one of the neighboring apartments though, not one of the attached ones.

And so our small community had formed.

I pushed the doors open and searched for an empty seat in the buzzing lecture hall. I ambled towards the front where I could see one, Naruto sat next to me. The seats were in a U around the large screen meant for the powerpoint. I sighed. We were just two of three hundred or so. I liked this. I liked fading in the background in a classroom, known only when I wanted to be. Maybe that was because my usual tardiness went unknown.

Slowly the murmurs died as a tall blonde woman stood at the podium. She introduced herself as sensai Tsuade. She rambled on a bit about what we would learn and what the course would pertain but I was hardly listening as this would all be on the syllabus they'd hand out later in the class.

"You will have lab once a week to practice what you learn and what I have taught you that particular week. Sitting to the right," she gestured to a row of seats behind and to the right of her, "are student teachers who'll be holding the sessions."

I glanced over at the student teachers. Temari, Gaara's sister, was one. She smiled and winked when we locked eyes. Next to her sat a blonde man whose hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He seemed bored slumped as he was in his chair. I saw him turn his head, his lips move. He seemed to be saying some snide remark. I didn't know this, of course, it was just a guess.

I glanced past him to the man he had spoken to. He was lounging in his chair looking completely at ease. My breath caught. He was so... attractive. Long black hair tied back at the nape of his neck casting the illusion of short hair. His eyes were what were so startling about his appearance as they were red. Whereas the blonde had seemed merely bored this dark haired mystery seemed entirely not amused. He looked like he was thinking he had so many other things he could be doing. I wondered why he was even teaching since he seemed so... off put by the job.

Naruto had been talking, I realized, but I hadn't heard a word. "Are you listening?" he asked his tone demanding.

"Yeah," I lied still looking at the red eyed man.

He made a noise of annoyance, "What are you staring at?" He began to follow my gaze. I turned my gaze to the speaker, however it was too late and he noticed who I had been looking at. "Figures," he mumbled.

I turned at that, "What's that suppose to mean?"

He shook his head, "Nothing."

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped as shuffling noises erupted around us. I let it go and got out a notepad and paper instead. Other people used their laptops, however it just wasn't for me. When I wrote things down I remembered them better.

Class ended. I waved goodbye to Naruto as he headed off to his next class then turned and used the restroom. I washed my hands then headed to the door, but as I shoved the swinging door open it came back twice as fast and hit me square in the face. My eyes teared up slightly and my hands jumped to cover my nose. Using my shoulder I pushed the door open and stepped out into the hall.

Walking slowly away from me was the man from the lecture hall, the one with the dark hair and startling red eyes. He wasn't even looking back at me. "HEY YOU!" I yelled, my hands still clinging to my throbbing nose.

He glanced over his shoulder briefly at me, his lips twitched slightly but he said nothing. "THE POLITE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO SAY YOU WERE SORRY!" I yelled after him anger tightening my back as he continued to walk away.

As he started to open the door leading outside I ran after him. It was instinct really, no thought involved, my anger had simply taken over. I grabbed his upper arm. He froze and glared at the hand I had laid on him.

"You slammed a door into my face and you can't even bother to say something to me afterwards," I gritted through clench teeth. I was afraid if I rose my voice any higher I would start screaming and draw all kinds of attention. He rose his eyes from my hand on his arm to my face.

I realized then how close I was too him. I let go as if burned. He was too pretty. Even as he glared at me I wanted to.. NO NO NO.. he was an asshole!

As I was struggling to school my face he had turned and started to walk away again. "YOU ASSHOLE! YOU REALLY AREN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING!" I screamed after him.

He didn't slow his pace as he tossed his head to the side and said calmly to me, "You're bleeding." He looked away again and walked away.

At his words I had risen my hand up to my nose, pulled my fingers away, and sure enough came back with blood. Damn it. My eyes teared up again though not with pain this time. I was angry and annoyed and hurt. I turned heel and headed back to the bathroom.

I angrily whipped the blood off my face. I was mad that he had hurt my nose. Angry that he all he could say to me was that I was bleeding. But worst of all, I was upset that as I had talked to him I had blood seeping out of my nose. My eyes teared up again. Fucking bastard. I hated him.

The rest of my classes were not as eventful as the first one. Everything whizzed by and soon enough it was lunch. I was feeling much better by the time lunch came around although I found myself often replaying the events of the morning. Every time I thought about it, it pissed me off. I was starting to stew again, touching my nose as I did so, when Ino slid into a chair next to me.

"What the hell happened to you?" she asked, then grabbed her cup, "Hold that thought." She jumped up and walked over and filled her cup with water.

I toyed with the food on my plate. How to explain what happened to my nose right... My back tensed again. I can't believe him, who doesn't even say anything afterwards.

Naruto and Sasuke took chairs at the table. "Howdy," Naruto said with a grin.

Sasuke said nothing, not much of a surprise there. Ino came back then, "So... Oh yeah! What happened to your nose, its starting to bruise."

"I know," I hissed and touched it slightly. Fuck him. I hated him.

"So-rr-y," she said in a singsong voice which made her sound as if she did not mean it in the slightest.

"That looks really bad," Sasuke said. I looked over at him. He leaned forward and placed his chin in his hand. Sure _now_ you speak, I thought darkly.

"Sasuke, you sweet talker you," I said the venom clear in my voice. He raised an eyebrow at my tone.

"You going to share what happened?" Naruto asked shoving his face with food.

"There you are!" Lee said as he sat down. Gaara sat next to him. "Gez Sakura, what happened to your nose?!" Lee gasped as he took in my appearance.

My eye twitched. I lifted my hand and covered my eye to stop it. "We don't know yet Lee," Ino said as she dipped a french fry in ketchup, "She hasn't gotten to that part yet."

Hinata came then. She just sat down quietly, looked at me, but said nothing. She was so easy to get along with.

I took a bite out of my sandwich and ignored everyone staring at me waiting for an answer. I tried my best to pretend to be oblivious. They would have nothing of it though.

"Looks like someone took a bat to your face," Ino chuckled. I glared at my food wanting so badly to hit her.

"It really is turning color fast considering it wasn't there for our eight o'clock class," Naruto commented.

"Does it hurt Sakura?" Lee asked, "Should I get you ice or something?"

"I don't want ice Lee," I said and shoved another bite of food into my mouth.

Sasuke was still resting his head in his hand staring at me. He straightened then, lifting his head off his hand, and asked, "So Ino, how was your day?"

She simply gushed at being asked and monopolized the conversation, steering it far from me. I glanced at Sasuke then, he smiled briefly but then looked back at Ino and pretended to listen.

Later, after lunch, everyone scattered and I was alone with Sasuke. Our classes we near each other. "Thank you," I said staring at the ground, "for earlier."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said. I smiled and looked up. "So, are you going to share what happened to your nose?"

I frowned and touched it again. Sasuke chuckled. "Don't laugh," I growled, stopping.

"You're right," he said and reached out and touched my nose, "It looks awful. Does it hurt?"

"Not really. I'm sure it looks worse than it is," I said softly, off put by him touching me.

"So what happened?" he asked softly, lifting his fingers off my face. He titled his head and looked me in the eyes, his pretty grey eyes staring into mine.

And damn him I answered, soon regretting it, "A door was slammed in my face."

He burst out in laughter. I smacked him in the shoulder, "Its not funny!"

"Sorry," he gasped as he laughed. He stopped briefly only to soon chuckle again.

"Ugh," I said and started walking again. He followed.

"So how did that happen," he asked a wide smile on his face. At least he had stopped laughing.

I sighed in defeat, "I opened the door to the bathroom and the asshole walking by slammed it back into my face."

"And you couldn't so much as put up your hands?" he asked with a crooked smile on his face.

"No," I whined. "He slammed it back too fast."

He patted me on the head, "Only you."

"Am I a dog now?" I asked sourly, but a smile was on my face.

"See you later Sakura," he said as answer and turned into his hall.

I walked away with a huge grin on my face. My day seemed to just improve greatly and all because of Sasuke. He had made all the anger just seep away.

The hall was suppose to be around this area, I frowned. Right? I was pretty sure the map said that. I headed off the path and through a grove of trees. Maybe it was on the other side? I moved farther into the little wooden area.

And there he was, the bane of my existence. Well, so far as this day was concerned. He was stretched out underneath a tree. Asleep. Somehow like this he wasn't so bad. He looked... soft.

One eye opened and he stared at me. I was frozen. Oh.. crap...

"Are you stalking me?" he asked.

My jaw went slack. "Like hell," I bursted out after a second.

He raised his eyebrow at my.. rather lame retort. I mentally sighed, so stupid. I hated how he was looking at me, even without speaking he was making fun of me. "Then what are you doing here?" he asked nonchalant.

"I... got lost," I admitted in defeat.

He sighed and stood. "Where are you suppose to be? Give me your schedule."

I handed it over to him obediently. It wasn't until he was already holding the piece of paper that not giving him it even occurred to me. I blamed it on his tone, I doubted he was one to not get his way. I peeked up at him. "Your nose looks disgusting," he said as if discussing the weather.

"UGH!" I tried to snatch my schedule away from him but he lifted it up and out of my reach, "Give it back, I'll find my way all on my own. I don't need _you_."

He lowered the paper and I snatched it from him. I turned and started stomping off when he said, "You have class with me."

I froze. "What?" I turned back around to face him.

His lips twitched. "I'm teaching you," When I continued to stare at him he added, "as in I am your teacher."

"I know what you mean!" I snapped. "If your the teacher, where is the rest of the class?"

"Does this mean you aren't going to storm off?" he asked with a smoldering satisfied look on his face.

"For now," I said begrudgingly and walked back to him.

"You're it," he said.

"I'm it what?" I asked confused. What was he talking about?

"You're the class," he said slowly as if I was a mentally handicapped child.

"I don't believe you," I said. "You're just being an ass... AGAIN." I stood as if to leave.

"Suit yourself but I'll mark you off for today and your grade will drop if you leave." He shrugged.

"Prove it," I said.

He pulled out a paper and handed it to me. I read it and it did certify him so far as student teachers were concerned.

"Fine, but if you are just being cruel and making me miss a class I will see to it that they fire your ass," I angrily spit out at him and sat back on the ground beside him.

"They won't fire me," he said.

"Want to test that out."

"I don't need to," he said with a wicked smile on his face. He had closed his eyes and was leaning back against the tree again.

I stared for awhile before saying, "Do you always underestimate your opponent or am I just a special case?"

He opened his eyes at that. Leaning forward he snatched my chin and held it in between his thumb and forefinger. "You don't want to make me your opponent; you'd lose," he said less than a few inches from my face. His warm breath on my face shocked me into silence.

I noticed then, as his face was so close, that his eyes were not just red with black within but that they in fact held a design. A circle with odd dot.. things.. inside. He pushed off the ground and stood. "See you tomorrow," he said and walked away.

After he was gone it dawned on me what his words meant. "Tomorrow?" I asked and glanced down at my schedule. I had him four times a week. I groaned, this semester was going to suck.

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